The story of the Reyna family is well-known on the pitch. Claudio excelled for the USMNT, winning 112 caps and playing at three World Cups, and his 18-year-old son Gio has already shown early signs of usurping his genius.
On Sunday evening, Gio scored his third senior U.S. goal in only his seventh appearance. It was his first competitive goal for the USMNT, serving as a 27th minute equalizer against Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League final.
GIO REYNA FINDS THE EQUALIZER pic.twitter.com/KT2cKWVWz3
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 7, 2021
Even better was seeing Claudio and wife Danielle celebrating in the stands together (and I believe that’s youngest son Joah-Mikel with them, although I'm not 100 percent certain at this time).
CLAUDIO REYNA REACTING GIO'S GOAL IS EVERYTHING ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4Tb2p8gLyz
— CBS Sports Golazo (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 7, 2021
Being American Soccer Royalty is one thing, but there’s also the added poignancy of what this all means for the Reynas.
If you haven’t read Gio’s article for The Players’ Tribune in which he speaks openly about the death of his 13-year-old brother Jack, you need to (Grant Wahl's article for SI is also incredibly powerful). Titled “For Jack,” Gio writes about “how special it would have been to have shared” his greatest moments with his older brother — in the article's case a Champions League win over PSG — since Jack was his hero, inspiration and confidant.
You know the entire Reyna family was thinking about Jack when that shot hit the back of the net.
